# The Spymasters: How the CIA Directors Shape History and the Future - Hardcover

by **Chris Whipple** (Author)

**From the _New York Times_ bestselling author of _The Gatekeepers_, a remarkable, behind-the-scenes look at what it's like to run the world's most powerful intelligence agency, and how the CIA is often a crucial counterforce against presidents threatening to overstep the powers of their office.**

Only eleven men and one woman are alive today who have made the life-and-death decisions that come with running the world's most powerful and influential intelligence service. With unprecedented, deep access to nearly all these individuals plus several of their predecessors, Chris Whipple tells the story of an agency that answers to the United States president alone, but whose activities--spying, espionage, and covert action--take place on every continent. At pivotal moments, the CIA acts as a brake on rogue presidents, starting in the mid-seventies with DCI Richard Helms's refusal to conceal Richard Nixon's criminality and continuing to the present as the actions of a CIA whistleblower have ignited impeachment proceedings against Donald Trump.

Since its inception in 1947, the Central Intelligence Agency has been a powerful player on the world stage, operating largely in the shadows to protect American interests. For _The_ _Spymasters_, Whipple conducted extensive, exclusive interviews with nearly every living CIA director, pulling back the curtain on the world's elite spy agencies and showing how the CIA partners--or clashes--with counterparts in Britain, France, Germany, Israel, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Russia. Topics covered in the book include attempts by presidents to use the agency for their own ends; simmering problems in the Middle East and Asia; rogue nuclear threats; and cyberwarfare.

A revelatory, behind-the-scenes look, _The Spymasters_ recounts seven decades of CIA activity and elicits predictions about the issues--and threats--that will engage the attention of future operatives and analysts. Including eye-opening interviews with George Tenet, John Brennan, Leon Panetta, and David Petraeus, as well as those who've just recently departed the agency, this is a timely, essential, and important contribution to current events.

### Author Biography

Chris Whipple is an author, political analyst, and Emmy Award-winning documentary filmmaker. He is a frequent guest on MSNBC, CNN, and NPR, and has contributed essays to _The_ _New York Times_, _The_ _Washington Post_, _Los Angeles Times_, and _Vanity Fair_. His first book, _The Gatekeepers_, an analysis of the position of White House Chief of Staff, was a _New York Times_ bestseller. His follow-up, _The_ _Spymasters_, was based on interviews with nearly every living CIA Director and was critically acclaimed. Whipple lives in New York City with his wife Cary.

**Number of Pages:** 400

**Dimensions:** 1.4 x 9 x 6 IN

**Illustrated:** Yes

**Publication Date:** September 15, 2020

## Details

- **Price:** 30.0 USD
- **Vendor:** Books by splitShops
- **Type:** Books
- **Tags:** Books by splitShops, Shopify Collective

## Variants

| Variant | Price | Available |
|---------|-------|-----------|
| Default Title | 30.00 USD | In stock |

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- The Spymasters: How the CIA Directors Shape History and the Future - Hardcover

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